Human space Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) units and Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) are a niche market. There are only a few space vehicles that utilize them, and they are updated too infrequently for the commercial industry to invest in development of human space LCD units and GPUs. In addition to the infrequency of updating, GPUs for use in space traditionally require hardware redesign each time a major display format change.
Typically, GPUs for use in space are required to meet a variety of often competing requirements, such as dynamic scalability, radiation tolerance, support for open interfaces, flexibility, graphics performance, and high integrity. In order to meet these requirements, GPUs for use in space are traditionally built using Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs). However, traditional solutions to building GPUs often have power consumption issues or processing speed limitations, and are difficult to update. While Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are typically more cost effective than ASICS and Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) CPUs, space-rated (radiation tolerant) FPGAs have typically not met performance requirements for GPUs in space.
Accordingly, a dynamically scalable, radiation tolerant, high-integrity, space-rated GPU is desired. The desired GPU supports open interfaces and provides sufficient graphics performance for known display formats as well as as-yet-undefined, futuristic, display formats that may be updated on-mission without requiring a hardware update. The desired GPU further provides flexibility and dynamic scalability for yet to be defined missions. The present invention provides the desired features.